What is the primary purpose of dbt (data build tool)?

The primary purpose of dbt (data build tool) is to transform raw data into a format that is useful for analysis through SQL. dbt focuses on the transformation layer of data analytics, allowing analytics engineers to write, document, test, and execute SQL transformations against their data warehouse. By using dbt, users can create clear, repeatable and version-controlled data transformation workflows, which enable the loading of raw data into a more structured form that aligns with their business intelligence needs.

Unlike options that focus on visualization or data storage, dbt is fundamentally about data transformation. Visualization tools and techniques are separate from dbt’s intended functionality, which does not include the direct generation of charts or graphs. Storing datasets is a primary function of databases rather than dbt itself, which acts on data that is already stored in a database environment. Lastly, while automation of data collection can be part of a broader data pipeline, dbt's main role is not about collecting data but rather about processing and transforming data into a usable format for further analysis.